How to claim a lottery prize in BC and Western Canada

Written by NextGen, British Columbia · Last updated October 2026

Whether your ticket won $20 or a jackpot, the steps are the same: check it properly, protect it, and claim it from the lottery corporation that sold it before it expires. This guide covers British Columbia (BCLC) and the provinces and territories served by the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC). Limits and procedures change, so always confirm on the official pages linked at the end.

Step 1: Check the ticket the reliable way

Comparing numbers by eye is easy to get wrong, especially for Lotto Max, where each play has four lines and big draws include dozens of MaxPlus and MaxMillions number sets. Use one of the official tools, which read the barcode and check every game and prize category on the ticket:

• In BC: BCLC's official Lotto! app can scan a BC ticket to tell you whether it won, and BC lottery retailers have self-serve Check-a-Ticket terminals. Results are also posted on BCLC's PlayNow.com.
• In Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut: WCLC's Lotto Spot app scans tickets bought at Lotto Spot retailers, and retailers have ticket checkers. WCLC's system is offline for about an hour each morning for maintenance, so a "cannot be checked at this time" message usually just means try later.

You can also compare against the published numbers on the official sites or our Lotto Max and Lotto 6/49 archives — but treat any unofficial site, including this one, as a convenience, not proof of a win.

Step 2: Protect the ticket

• Sign it. BCLC asks you to sign the ticket where indicated and fill in the back with your legal name, address and phone number, and to make sure the printed name and signature match the ID you will show. An unsigned ticket is much easier for someone else to claim if it is lost.
• Keep the original. Prizes are paid on the original paper ticket (or, for app purchases, the ticket stored in your account). A photo or photocopy is not a ticket — WCLC states that printed copies of app tickets are not accepted.
• Guard the barcode. Do not post a picture of your ticket online or send it to anyone. WCLC warns that for app tickets, whoever presents the barcode is treated as the purchaser.
• Mind the deadline. Lotto Max, Lotto 6/49 and Extra tickets are valid for one year from the draw date in both BCLC and WCLC regions. Expired tickets are not paid.

Step 3: Claim in British Columbia (BCLC)

BCLC offers three ways to claim, depending on the amount. For every claim you need your signed ticket and one valid piece of government-issued photo ID (BCLC's accepted ID list includes items such as a Canadian or international passport; the ID must show your photo, date of birth, signature and expiry date).

Group wins need extra paperwork: BCLC requires a Group Trustee and a completed Group Prize Agreement for online group claims of $10,000 or more. If you play in an office or family pool, write down who is in it and how winnings are shared before the draw.

Bought the ticket in another province? It must be claimed from the lottery corporation shown on the back of the ticket, not from BCLC.

Step 3 outside BC: claim in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the territories (WCLC)

• Up to $100: validated automatically when scanned at a lottery terminal; the retailer pays or arranges payment.
• $100.01 to $1,000: participating retailers can pay, but may choose not to pay prizes over $100 — they may send you to another location. Check that the store has enough cash.
• $1,001 and above: claim at a WCLC prize office by appointment or by mail to WCLC's head office. Prize offices are in St. Albert and Calgary (Alberta), Saskatoon and Regina (Saskatchewan), Winnipeg (Manitoba) and Yellowknife (NWT and Nunavut). Call Player Care at 1-800-665-3313 to arrange your claim.

WCLC notes that its prize offices are prioritising prizes of $1,001 and above; smaller claims are only accepted there with a Player Care reference number. Tickets bought in the Lotto Spot app are claimed by presenting the barcode from "My Tickets" in the app.

Large wins: a short checklist

• Sign the ticket, store it somewhere safe, and keep it out of photos and social media.
• Book the claim appointment through official channels only (phone numbers from the official website, not from a message you received).
• Expect identity checks and questions about where and when you bought the ticket. Prizes may not be paid during the appointment itself.
• Canadian lottery prizes are not taxed, but income you later earn on the money is — see are lottery winnings taxed in Canada?
• Be ready for scam attempts once a win becomes public. See common lottery scams.

What happens to prizes nobody claims?

WCLC publishes a list of unclaimed draw-game prizes over $10,000 after three months, and explains that unclaimed prizes on national games are returned to players through guaranteed jackpots and bonus draws. After the one-year deadline the ticket cannot be paid, so it is worth checking old tickets in drawers and car consoles.